


One in a Million

by EloquentMisprints



Category: Glee
Genre: Getting Back Together, M/M, Parent Trap!AU, divorced!klaine
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-25
Updated: 2020-04-26
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:08:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23842762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EloquentMisprints/pseuds/EloquentMisprints
Summary: Parent Trap AU- There are events in life that are one in a million, like Kurt Hummel and Blaine Anderson sending their daughters to the same performing arts camp... after having not spoken in over a decade.
Relationships: Blaine Anderson/Kurt Hummel
Comments: 2
Kudos: 18





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I don't have a beta reader, so I am super sorry if this is a disaster. It has been forever since I've written any fanfiction and I'm hoping I can do it justice. :)

Some events in life really are one-in-a-million. In Kurt Hummel’s mind, that event was always meeting, and falling in love, with another openly gay boy in Ohio. Blaine Anderson, on the other hand, thought that the real miracle was finding someone who made him strong enough to leave the safe haven of Dalton Academy and return to public school. Either way, both boys were convinced that their one-in-a-million moment was undoubtedly each other. 

It was because of this conviction, that marriage was put on the table far too early. Kurt was a sophomore at the New York Academy for the Dramatic Arts, otherwise known as NYADA, and Blaine’s freshman year found him at New York University. They were too young, but they had been too young for most things in their lives, so they took the leap and got married before they were old enough to toast the union with more than just sparkling cider. The ceremony was small, one simply couldn’t pull off a last minute wedding on such a small budget the way they could in little old Ohio. Marital bliss was… touch and go. They loved one another to the moon and back, that was never up for interpretation. But they were young and had never experienced life as an ‘I’ instead of a ‘we’, which they assured everyone didn’t make a difference, except for when it did. And it did more often than they would like to admit. For a long time, whenever they would pull too far apart, they would snap back together again; passionate and determined to make things better allowing them to be propelled forward. 

Kurt Hummel-Anderson was twenty-two and making a name for himself at Vogue, the magazine not just the .com. Blaine Hummel-Anderson was twenty-one and teaching music at a local youth center. They were young and dumb, like all young folks are, but successful and in love. They were also about to become parents of not one, but two beautiful baby girls. Because they did most things in their life when they were too young. Twins had never been the plan. Then again, they’d planned to be older, but this was one of those moments after snapping back together. The fighting had gotten unbearable ( _“What do you mean you’re applying to grad school?” “We can’t afford another bill, Blaine!” “We aren’t moving to New Jersey are you insane?”_ ) and one night, after mild blowing make up sex, Kurt had made an off-handed comment about how, in another world, it would have resulted in a baby nine months down the line. 

As it turned out, it was that comment that had resulted in two babies twelve months later. Really, they were surprised they hadn’t seen it coming sooner. Quinn had donated an egg ( _“Yes, just one, if it doesn’t work then it isn’t meant to be right now.”_ ) just as she had promised, but Rachel couldn’t stand to be one-upped ( _“You’re our surrogate, Rachel, we wouldn’t dream of asking you for anymore.” “Oh, I know, that’s what makes me such a good friend!”_ ). And there had been another argument, loud and long and one that shook them to their core. But, in the end, one egg from each girl doubled their chances, but they were still slim, so they took the leap. Rachel would still be their surrogate, though she would be implanted with two embryos of unsure paternity. It meant that they’d had to use the same doctor that Rachel’s dads had used, because apparently their choices were not just unorthodox, they were _unethical as well_. 

The girls were born in December. By March their fathers were divorcing ( _“If we are going to do it, we should do it sooner rather than later.” “For the girls.”_ ) and, frankly, running away from their problems. With that, their one-in-a-million moments disappeared, Kurt lost his openly gay love from Ohio and Blaine lost the person that gave him strength. Though, if we are being honest, those moments were never really one-in-a-million. In fact, had they decided upon testing paternity, they would have found that their one-in-a-million came in the form of two beautiful little girls-- one with the Hummel and Berry genes and one with those of the Andersons and Fabrays.


	2. Chapter 1

Piper Hummel picked idly at the heat cracked seats of her grandfather’s truck. The radio was turned down low, though the occasional burst of static still rattled its way through the tinny speakers. The incessant rattle of her luggage in the bed of the truck making her glare out of the window. 

“Careful making that face.” Burt commented, sparing a glance over at the eleven year old. Her scowl deepened and she crossed her arms over her chest. 

“Or what, it’ll get stuck?” 

Burt laughed, flipping on his turn signal and checking over his shoulder. “I was thinking you’d get wrinkles, but sure, we’ll go with yours.” 

Piper gasped and brought her hands up to smooth out her face, as if they’d already begun to form. Once she felt sure that she’d undone any damage, she recrossed her arms and slumped back against the seat. 

“What’s got you so down, kid?” 

“I’m fine.” She muttered. 

Burt took off his cap and scratched at his head nervously. “Did you want grandma Carol to drive you instead?” He put his hat back on and spared her another glance. 

“What? No!” She said, “I like hanging out with you, grandpa. I just…” She sighed and toyed with the end of her auburn ponytail. 

“You don’t want to go to camp.” 

“I do! Well, I would, if dad wasn’t in Paris without me.” She replied, “He promised me I could go with him.”  
Burt hit his turn signal again. After a few moments of silence, he pulled the truck into a Dairy Queen parking lot and cut the engine. 

“I know it’s hard, kiddo.” He said as he turned to face her, “But you want to know a secret?” Piper nodded. “Your dad wishes you were with him, too. Told me so himself.” 

“No he didn’t.” 

“He did! Just last night, after you went to bed.” Burt assured her, “He wanted to take you, but he knew how much you were looking forward to going to camp, that he didn’t want you to miss out.”

Piper mulled this over a minute, paying too much attention to the cracked nail polish on her fingernails. All her life, it had just been her and her dad-- well, and her grandpa, grandma, and Uncle Finn, of course. But mostly it had been her dad. She didn’t fully understand what his life was like before she came into it, but she knew that he had dropped everything to take care of her. Even though that meant moving back to Ohio and working for grandpa.

“Okay.” She said finally. 

“Okay?” Burt asked. 

She nodded again, looking up at him with big, hazel eyes. “Can we get ice cream now?” As if he could say no to her.  
____________________________________________________________________________

Sloane Anderson gave herself a final once over in the mirror before turning back to her luggage to make sure everything was accounted for. She bounced on her toes, checking off each item on her checklist as she found it in her bag. There was a knock at her door, but she couldn’t be bothered to answer it. 

“Come in!” She called, still focused on the task at hand. Glancing up briefly, she caught her uncle’s reflection in the mirror and grinned.  
“Uncle Cooper!” She cried, dropping her list and allowing herself to be scooped up into his arms with a squeal. 

“Lo,” he grunted goodnaturedly, “You’re getting too big for this!”

“Sorry.” She replied, but didn’t let go of his neck. “Are you here to say goodbye?” 

Cooper twirled her around in a circle, before setting her down again and placing his hands on his hips. “Goodbye? Are you going somewhere?” 

Sloane rolled her eyes and pointed overdramatically at her suitcases on the bed. “I’m going to camp, remember?” She said. 

“It looks more like you’re moving out.” He teased.

“I’m just being prepared.” She said with a sniff, “If I’m going to be a star, I have to be ready for anything. Now, hurry up and say your goodbyes before Auntie Tana gets here.” 

“What if I don’t want to say goodbye?” He asked, raising an eyebrow at her. 

“Well you can’t very well come with me, now can you?”

Cooper took a seat in the small space left on her mattress. “You know, I think I might just do that, missy.” 

“It’s a kids camp.” She argued as she picked up her list again, “Just because you act like a kid doesn’t mean they will let you in.” He clutched his heart dramatically and leaned back against the headboard. 

“I’ll have you know that I am a star!” He cried. Sloane giggled and rolled her eyes, but didn’t stop checking things off her list. 

“Yes, yes, I know.” She placated, “That’s where I got it from after all.” Cooper faltered at that, but recovered quickly. 

“Well, if you know everything,” he teased, “then you must know that I was invited to teach at your summer camp.” 

“Really?!”

“Really, really.” He replied, “So, hurry up and finish packing, we have a plane to catch!”  
____________________________________________________________________________

Burt Hummel was proud of his son. He was not only a wonderful young man, but always made sure he was an amazing father to Piper, all while he pursued his own dreams. That being said, there was one decision that Burt would never be okay with, the one that meant he may never get to know his other granddaughter. It was the one decision that he would never be able to wrap his head around, but he knew better than to fight his son on it, because he didn’t want to lose his chance to know Piper as well. 

Piper was pretty much perfect, at least in Burt’s eyes. Even with eyes that were so clearly Blaine’s, she was so much like his son that sometimes it knocked the wind out of him. She was asleep next to him, as they neared the off-ramp just outside of Chicago. Her face was smushed up against the window and her feet had found their way into his lap. His phone buzzed in his pocket. 

“Hello?” 

“Dad! Have you dropped her off yet?” Kurt asked frantically. 

“Not yet, still got another thirty minutes or so.” Burt replied with a laugh. He put the phone on speaker and nudged her ankle gently. 

“Whu?” She mumbled as she pulled herself into a sitting position.  
“Your dad.” He said, handing her the phone. 

“Daddy!” She cried, too loudly and too close to the microphone. Burt couldn’t help but grin at how bright her eyes were suddenly. 

“Oh, Pippa.” Kurt said softly, “I was afraid I’d miss you. I guess you hit a bit of traffic.” Piper wrinkled her nose. 

“Grandpa bought me ice cream.” She explained. Kurt chuckled, rolling his eyes affectionately at the comment. 

“At 10 o’clock in the morning?” He asked.

“Mmm,” She mused for a second, “no, more like 9.” 

“Oh, much more reasonable.” He teased. “Are you excited for camp?” 

Burt let the rest of the conversation fade into background noise, just enjoying their excited chatter. It’d been a long time since Kurt had been happy, not really anyway. Sure, he was happy with Piper, but it wasn’t the same happiness that he’d had in New York, at Vogue, with Blaine-- well, most of the time anyway. Things had slowly started to look up, though, when he’d started his own fashion blog Hautely by Hummel. Burt had a sneaking suspicion that it was only a matter of time before he lost his son, and now Piper, to the big city again. 

Until then, it was nice having another pair of hands at the shop. Piper was enthralled by how everything worked and had told him on more than one occasion that, if performing didn’t work out, she wanted to work with him when she grew up. That was another thing that knocked the wind out of him, the idea that he might actually get to see her grow up. After the heart attack and the cancer-- and another scare more recently than he would like to admit-- he thought that he might never get to see her turn into a preteen, let alone teach her how to work on cars. 

“Grandpa!”

“Pipsqueak?” He asked with a grin. Piper wrinkled her nose and shook her head. 

“You’re so embarrassing!” She groaned, but it was followed by a little laugh. The phone was still clutched in her hand, but the screen had gone dark, so they must have ended the call at some point. 

“That’s what grandpas are for.” It’d been a few miles since he hopped off the freeway and signs for the William’s Foundation for Young Performers had started cropping up. A few moments later, the truck pulled to a stop at a large guard gate. 

“Name?” A tall man in a suit was leaning out of the window of the small building next to the entrance. 

“Uh, Burt Hummel? Dropping off Piper Hummel?” The guard nodded and handed him a pass to put on his dashboard before waving them up. “Well, ain’t that fancy.” Piper giggled and sat up a little straighter, practically vibrating with excitement.  
____________________________________________________________________________

Cooper Anderson slid into the black SUV that the Williams Foundation had sent for him, double checking that Sloane was buckled in before nodding to the driver. Airport traffic was the worst-- maybe not the worst, but the only thing more frustrating was driving in an unfamiliar place, so really the car was a godsend either way. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and tapped out a quick message to his brother. 

Sloane was leaning against the window, watching with wide blue eyes as the city whizzed past them. Her auburn hair had frizzed out and she had a halo of fine hairs around the top of her head. All angels have to have a halo, Cooper had insisted when she’d first puddled up after seeing it. And an angel she was. He would go to the ends of the earth for her, which is how he ended up agreeing to teach acting at a summer camp in Illinois. 

“Look!” She squealed, pointing excitedly at something that had already passed as she reached out to grab his hand. He ducked his head and commented on how cool it was, even though he had no clue what he was supposed to be looking at. God, he was so completely and utterly wrapped around her finger. There was a pang in his chest at the thought, a sharp reminder that there was another little eleven year old that also should’ve had him at her beck and call. His phone rang out and he handed it over to Sloane without looking, frustration clawing at the pit of his stomach. 

“Dad, I was in the sky!” She greeted with a laugh, “The clouds were so close.” 

“I bet they were, baby. Did you have a good flight?” Cooper almost asked the driver to turn on the stereo so that he couldn’t hear his brother through the phone. 

“Why didn’t you tell me that Uncle Cooper was coming with me? Did Auntie Tana know? She promised to take me to the airport.” Sloane asked.

“What kind of a surprise would it be if we told you?” 

“Not a very good one, I guess.” She agreed. 

What Blaine didn’t tell her was that Cooper was the only reason she was being able to go. And what Cooper didn’t tell Blaine, was that he’d called the Foundation and all but forced them to hire him for the summer. He’d turned down parts in shows and one particularly promising film, because Blaine wouldn’t let Sloane go that far away without supervision. It didn’t matter that the camp was one of the most secure ones in the country or that compared to most of the kids, Sloane was nobody-- no, really, Blue Ivy was a Williams Foundation Alum. 

“Will you come visit?” She asked into the phone. 

“I can’t, but you’ll be home before you know it.” 

“But it’s almost a whole month! I won’t see you for a month!” She cried. 

“You’ll be having so much fun that you won’t even miss me.”

“Yes I will! I always miss you when you’re gone.” She whispered. 

“But you have Uncle Cooper, remember? And he is going to teach you all his cool acting tricks and everything.” 

“Like pointing!” She offered helpfully. 

“Exactly like pointing. Can I talk to him really quick?” Sloane sighed. 

“I guess, but you gotta talk to me last, okay?” 

“Absolutely, I love you.” Blaine replied. Sloane pushed the phone at Cooper who tried not to frown when he took it. 

“Hey, Squirt.” Sloane had turned her attention to the driver, chattering away about California and her plane ride. 

“Thank you, Coop.” 

“Why are you thanking me? I’m the one getting paid.” Cooper let out a laugh and looked out the window. 

“I know this isn’t how you wanted to spend your--”

“Oh, it looks like we are almost there. I better hand you back to Lo.” Cooper cut in as he passed the phone back to Sloane. His eyes caught a sign just before they passed it: William’s Foundation for Young Performers 30 miles.


	3. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Camp will only be two or three more chapters. I'm also thinking about alternating chapters between the girls and the adults (Kurt, Blaine, Burt, and Cooper). 
> 
> Also, if anyone is interested in Beta reading, let me know! :)

Piper scrubbed furiously at her face, wiping away any tears that clung to her eyelashes as her grandfather drove away. She slung one bag over her shoulder and grabbed the handle on her suitcase, before making her way over to the check in table. Several lines stretched back from the table and she craned her neck to see which one she belonged in. Of all the things that Piper was, tall wasn’t one of them, and even on her tiptoes she couldn’t quite see over the shoulders of some of the older kids. 

“Need some help?” A voice behind her asked. She whirled around, nearly knocking the stranger over with her bag, and came face to, well, chest with a tall, blonde boy. 

“I’m not sure where to go.” She said softly. The boy smiled and looked at the tag on her backpack. Her dad and grandpa had been sure to mark her luggage with her name, address, and their phone numbers in case anything got lost. 

“Hummel, great! You can stand with me in the F-J line.” He replied with a grin, “My last name is Jones.” 

“That’s my aunt’s last name too.” She commented as they took their places in line, “I’m… um… I’m Piper.” The boy adjusted his grip on his own duffle and offered her a hand. 

“Wyatt.”

“Have you been here before?” She asked as they shuffled forward in line. 

“Yep! I’ve been coming here since I was 9.” He answered with a proud look on his face, “I’m 12 now.” 

“Me too! Well, almost.” She said eagerly, “December tenth. So I guess not almost, but I will be, this year.” 

“I get to have my birthday at camp, it is the best!” He told her. “Plus, this year, I heard that Cooper Anderson is going to be one of the teachers and all I take is acting classes, so I get to meet him.” They shuffled forward again and Piper cocked her head to the side. 

“I’m a singer.” She said, “So, I probably won’t meet him, but he’s from Ohio like me. I don’t think my dad likes him very much, he always changes the channel when his show comes on.” 

“Next!” Piper stepped up to the table, suitcase trailing behind her. 

“Um, hi, I’m Piper Hummel.” She greeted, swaying from side to side a little. The counselor smiled over at her before thumbing through the papers on her clipboard. Piper bounced nervously on her toes, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth while she waited. 

“There you are! Alright Miss Piper, here is your map and camp schedule. Shelby is the lead counselor for all of the Wrens this year. If you’d like, you can wait over by the fountain for her and she’ll show you to your cabin, okay?” The woman behind the table instructed as she handed her a couple of papers. Piper nodded and made her way over to the large stone fountain in the middle of the courtyard. Nerves coiled in the pit of Piper’s stomach as she looked around. Everyone seemed to know where they were going, except for her. She set down her bags and took a seat on edge of the fountain. 

She’d never been away from home before, unless of course she was staying with her grandparents or Uncle Finn, but that didn’t really count. In almost twelve years, she could count on two hands the days that she hadn’t seen her dad and even then she had been able to call or video chat with him whenever she needed to. Now he was in Paris meeting with some famous designer and she was in Illinois with, apparently, Cooper Anderson. She knew that her dad wouldn’t want her to be sad. He’d tell her that this summer was all about her and all she had to do was be Piper; here she wasn’t his Pippa or grandpa’s Pipsqueak, she wasn’t Kurt Hummel’s daughter… she was just Piper. 

“Piper?” An older woman with long brown hair was crouched in front of her, a soft smile playing on her lips. “Hi, I’m Shelby. I’m going to be hanging out with you this summer, okay?” Piper nodded and picked at her nail polish. 

“Hi, I’m Piper.” She responded as she stood up and grabbed her bags. Shelby laughed brightly and stood as well, taking the duffle from Piper and nodding her head toward the stone path leading toward the cabin. 

“Why don’t we go and put these away while we wait for your cabin mates? Sound good?”  
____________________________________________________________________________

Sloane waited (relatively) patiently as Cooper and the driver unloaded their bags from the back of the SUV. The driver, George, had offered to retrieve her schedule and cabin assignment for her, but she had shaken her head and thanked him politely. Even though her uncle was with her, she wanted the full camp experience, which she would be getting if they would ever unload her luggage…

“Three weeks, Lo. You aren’t moving here permanently.” Uncle Cooper grumbled as he unloaded her last bag and set it in front of her. She hummed and picked it up. 

“You never know, maybe they’ll realize how talented I am and offer me a job.” She argued with a shrug. He whirled around to face her, narrowed his eyes, and pointed directly at her. 

“You’re 11. And your father would murder me.” He said, “Three weeks and we go home, missy.” 

“Rule number one for dramatic actors,” she teased, “always remember to point.” He sucked in a deep breath and closed his eyes, mumbling something under his breath. She grinned and wrapped her arms around his waist. 

“If you see me around, you don’t know me, okay?” She requested, “I want to do this all on my own. Now, I have to go get checked in.” And with that she wrangled her luggage and made her way to the crowded check in table. She hopped in the first line, because it was always alphabetical and it didn’t really matter how it was divided, Anderson was always first-- unless it was last, but she’d cross that bridge if she came to it. 

She took in her surroundings as she crept through the line, watching what had to be hundreds of kids milling about. There were adults peppered through the crowd, each of them wearing bright orange shirts with the Williams Foundation logo printed on it. Excitement bubbled under her skin, she was actually spending the summer at the Williams Foundation Youth Camp, with a bunch of other kids that loved performing as much as she did. 

“Next!” A redheaded woman called from behind the table and Sloane stepped forward. She put on her best, show stopping smile, bounced up on her toes, and extended a hand. 

“Sloane Anderson,” she said. The woman, though slightly taken-aback, shook the young girl’s hand before locating her name on the paper in front of her. 

“You’ve been assigned to the Finches this summer, Miss Anderson. Here is your map and your schedule.” The woman handed over the papers, “Wanda is the head counselor for your cabin, if you’d like her to show you to your cabin, you can wait for her by the stage.” She gestured toward the permanent stage that was located between two buildings across the courtyard. With a nod, Sloane collected her luggage and the paper’s she’d been given before making her way to the stage. 

The Youth Camp was more breathtaking than she had ever imagined. Beautiful cobblestone buildings and lush greenery that she didn’t get to see in Los Angeles, a gorgeous fountain that stood in the center of the courtyard and made her desperately wish for a quarter to toss in it. As she approached the stage, she noticed other girls about her age all huddled together at one end. She wasn’t sure that she would have time for friends during camp, she was there to hone her talent after all, but it couldn’t hurt to be friendly… at least until classes started. 

“Cooper Anderson is here, I saw him myself!” One of the girls gushed as Sloane approached them, “He is just as beautiful in person as he is on TV.” 

“Oh my god, is that why he cancelled his Jimmy Kimmel appearance?” A girl with multicolor braids cut it. Sloane felt her stomach sink and she stopped a few feet away from them, lining her bags up against the front of the stage. 

“Adrianne! Cooper Anderson is the guest instructor!” Another girl called to a girl near the fountain, nearly running into Sloane as she turned around. “Crap, sorry!” 

“It’s okay,” Sloane replied with a smile. 

“Are you a Finch this summer?” The girl asked with a tilt of her head. The other girls peered around her, watching Sloane closely. 

“I am!” She said brightly, “I’m Sloane.” 

“Us too. I’m Willow, this is Cameryn,” she gestured to the girl with the braids, “and Erika.” The first girl waved silently from her place behind Willow.

“This is our third year here.” Cameryn commented, straightening out her Williams Foundation Alum shirt. “What about you?” Sloane shook her head. 

“I’m new.” She answered, “I’m from L.A.” The girls’ eyes widened. 

“Do you know Cooper Anderson?” Erika asked. Cameryn rolled her eyes and adjusted her bag on her shoulder. 

“Of course she doesn’t. Don’t be dumb, Erika.” 

“Well, actually--” 

“Ladies, ladies! You must be my Finches this summer, is that right?” A dark skinned woman, Wanda, asked. All of the girls nodded enthusiastically and she clapped her hands together, “Wonderful! Gather your things and follow me.” 

The walk to the Finch cabin wasn’t long, in fact it was the closest girls’ cabin to the courtyard, which also meant it was the closest to the dining hall and most of the classes. Still, as they made their way up the path, the sounds from the courtyard faded out and left them with only the rustle of trees and whistle of birds.   
____________________________________________________________________________

Piper toyed with the edge of her schedule, reading over it for the billionth time while Shelby went and collected the other girls that would be in her cabin. She had been the first one there, which meant she got to pick whichever bed she wanted. Without hesitation, she’d claimed the only single bed in the cabin, one that was tucked in a corner a good distance away from the two bunk beds. Her suitcase was open on her bed, but she had emptied out her duffle and put the contents away as soon as Shelby had left the cabin. 

Shelby was nice enough. She’d spent the walk to the cabin telling Piper where her classes were and how to get to the dining commons, since the Wren cabin was one of the furthest from the courtyard. Piper has learned that Shelby had a daughter named Beth, who was also a counselor this summer. Beth wasn’t a teacher though, like Shelby, instead she was going to be helping with the campfire sing-a-longs. Apparently, anyone at the camp could go to those, so Piper decided that it was her summer mission to meet Cooper Anderson. 

According to her schedule, it was almost time for the Welcome Lunch, but she still had some much to unpack and Shelby wasn’t back yet. Piper sighed heavily, placed her schedule on the nightstand, and stood up. There was a small dresser at the end of her bed, one of the main reasons she had chosen the single bed-- well, that and the fact that she was afraid that the top bunk might crush her in her sleep. So, set to work unpacking her suitcase and silently wondering if everything would fit. 

“Alright my little Wrens, this will be your home for the next three weeks, so please treat it with respect.” Shelby’s voice filtered in through the window and Piper felt the butterflies in her stomach flutter to life. The front door creaked open and four girls bounded in, each scrambling to a bunk. Shelby followed behind them with an amused smile on her face. 

Piper turned her attention back to her clothes, picking invisible lint off of each item before tucking it away in one of the small drawers. The other girls were chattering excitedly and Piper wondered if maybe she should have wondered around a bit before meeting Shelby at the fountain, seeing if she could have made friends. She grabbed the last item out of her suitcase, an old, worn Dalton Academy Warblers sweatshirt that she’d stolen from her dad, and tucked it up under her pillow. 

“What’s that?” One of the girls asked, peering down at her from a top bunk. Piper tightened her hold on the shirt. 

“It’s my dad’s,” She answered, holding it up in front of her so the girl could see it. “From high school. He was a singer, too.” 

“I don’t know my dad,” the girl commented, “but my mom says that’s a good thing, whatever that means. I’m Ava. What’s your mom like?” Piper blinked at her with wide, owlish eyes. Ava talked faster than most of the adults she knew, which was really saying something, considering how fast her dad could talk when he was freaking out.

“I’m Piper,” she responded slowly as she turned to put the sweatshirt back under her pillow. Ava seemed satisfied and began emptying out her own duffle on her bed. The other three girls were chattering excitedly as they put away their belongings, one of them hanging fairy lights on the underside of the bunk above her. Shelby had taken a seat in a chair near the door, ready to help if needed, but giving the girls their space until a bell sounded from somewhere in the courtyard. 

“Alright girls, lunch time!” She announced as she stood, “After we eat, we’ll have a quick meeting and then the rest of the night is yours to get to know each other.” Five pairs of feet raced toward the door, nearly knocking Shelby over. Once outside, Piper followed behind the rest of the girls, because they seemed to know exactly where they were going.

The pathway to the courtyard was crowded, all of the campers tumbling out of their cabins with eagerness that could only be fueled by their rumbling stomachs. Teenagers bobbed and weaved around the young, slightly more unsure kids as they spotted their friends in the crowd. Piper wrinkled her nose and crossed her fingers, hoping that everyone wouldn’t be eating their meal all together everyday. Shelby managed to wrangle her campers just as they came to the opening leading to the courtyard.

“This way,” She instructed, gesturing toward a less crowded path. 

“But the dining hall is that way.” A tall, dark haired girl argued as she stopped to point at where the rest of the kids were flooding toward. 

“We’ll get there.” Shelby promised and continued down the path. The other girls looked skeptical, but Piper followed dutifully behind their leader, relishing in the quiet sounds of nature that surrounded her. Her dad loved big cities, her grandfather said that he was meant to be in New York, but Piper got nervous around big crowds. She hoped that her dad would wait until she was a grownup before he decided to go to New York. 

After a few moments, the sounds of chattering kids cut through the trees that lined the path and Shelby guided them down an offshoot that let out right behind the dining hall. Most of the large group hadn’t filtered in yet, having bottlenecked between the dining hall and the large stone building next to it. Shelby motioned to a small table near a podium and the girls hurried to claim their seats. 

“Told you we’d make it.” She said with a smile, “Plus, we are closest to the food.” And with that, she untucked a handkerchief from her back pocket and secured it onto the two hooks that jutted off the side of the table. Piper leaned over to watch and noted the Wren that was painted onto the fabric. 

A few more leaders appeared from the path they had taken, though most of them seemed to be searching the crowd for their campers. The one exception was a woman waving a handkerchief with another bird on it, her campers trailed behind her like ducklings. They claimed the table opposite the Wrens.   
____________________________________________________________________________

Sloane was starving. She wrinkled her nose and nearly tripped over a tree root as Wanda led her cabin through a less populated trail. When the trail opened up, they found themselves in a clearing that was dotted with tables-- lots of them-- and not as many campers as one would think. Wanda waived a piece of fabric in some sort of celebration and secured it to one of the tables up front. 

“Sit, sit.” She said, motioning to the empty seats. Sloane found herself sandwiched between Willow and Erika, who hadn’t stopped talking about Cooper. She had considered telling them that he was her uncle, but she really wanted her talent to speak for itself. And she was talented. Plus, she had assured herself, she didn’t beg to go to camp to make friends, she had plenty of those back home. This summer was about becoming a better singer and that was it. Some of the other girls, especially Mila-- she’d be the fifth and final girl in their cabin-- had mentioned that they were taking classes in other arts, as well, but that Sloane knew that was a waste of her very valuable time. 

The other campers had filtered in by the time an elder looking woman took her place at the podium and tapped on the microphone. “Attention, please.” She said. And a hush fell over the crowd. Sloane sat up a little bit straighter, determined to make a good impression, even though the woman wasn’t looking at her. 

“It’s so good to see so many familiar faces in the crowd,” The woman commented, “and quite a few new ones as well! For all of you that don’t know, I’m Tabitha Walters, the Director of the Williams Foundation Youth Camp.” There was a round of applause that she waved off, “I’ve been doing this since the day the Center opened, nearly two decades now, and this looks like the most promising group yet. But I’m not up here to ramble on about myself or even the Foundation, I’m here to welcome this summer’s guest instructor: Cooper Anderson!” 

Willow and Erika each grabbed one of Sloane’s arms and squealed. It took a Herculean effort from Sloane to keep from rolling her eyes, but she managed it and silently applauded her own acting skills as Cooper took the stage. 

“Thank you for that, Ms. Walters.” He gushed, “And thank you for allowing me to take part this summer.” He winked at the Director and blush spread across her cheeks as she stood off to the side of the clearing. 

“Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god.” Erika chanted, her fingers digging into Sloane’s arm. “He’s so beautiful.” 

“Now, I know that it will be hard,” Cooper started, “but don’t let my being here distract you all from why you came here. This is probably the only time I will ever say this, so get your cameras ready--” a burst of laughter from the crowd, “this summer isn’t about me. You all are here because you are driven and talented and you want to make a name for yourself. Not all of you will and the ones that do are still going to hear a lot of no’s, so let your time here with the Williams Foundation be your yes. Talk to your leaders, your instructors, myself, and each other… find your voice and your individuality, because that is what is going to help you make it out there in the real world. Now, who’s hungry?” 

To Cooper’s credit, he made it through his entire speech without looking at Sloane, instead he used it to scan the crowd. For that, she would be forever grateful, because she was already pretty sure that she would have finger shaped bruises on her arms. Thankfully, as soon as he wandered off to talk to Tabitha, her arms were released and she was able to restart the blood flow to her hands. Wanda was leaning over to talk to the leader sitting opposite them, her own table full of girls that looked about Sloane’s age. 

“Alright, ladies.” She said suddenly as she turned her attention back to the table, “Ms. Walters didn’t explain everything, because of Captain Dreamboat, over there, but the reason we are having our welcome lunch out here is because these tables are where we will do all of our out of cabin meetings and get togethers okay?” 

“What about the stage?” Cameryn asked. 

“We’re changing it up this year.” Wanda explained, “We wanted you all to have a safe space where you could come and talk if you needed to. As for the courtyard, we’ve decided to use that for the Foundation Cup.” All five mouths opened to talk at once. “No more questions, I will explain it all after we eat, okay? Now, go get some grub.” 

The girls stood up and hastily made their way over to the buffet line, nearly tripped over each other in the process. Sloane accepted everything that was offered to her, her plate overfilled with macaroni and potato salads, one hot dog and one hamburger, and a couple different flavors of chips. She made it back to the table before everyone else and started sorting out her food. 

“Hungry much?” Cameryn commented as she slid into her spot. 

“Hmm?” Sloane replied, “Oh! Well, yes, but I don’t eat much.” Cameryn quirked an eyebrow and made a sweeping motion toward the abundance of food that had been sorted out onto napkins in front of Sloane. “I guess you’re right, this is a lot. It’s a habit.” 

“A habit?” The other girls were starting to return to the table. 

“Yeah, I--” she let out a quiet laugh, “I’ve done a couple of commercials back home, mostly with younger kids. They can be pretty shy, so at lunch, I just get one of everything and let them take what they want.” She started picking at her potato salad with her fork. 

“You’ve been on TV?” Mila asked. 

“Not a lot or anything.” She backpedaled, “Just a commercial here or there. It’s pretty fun, but I’m more of a singer.” Mila rolled her eyes. 

“Well, obviously. You are a songbird, after all.” 

“The Finches and the Wrens,” Erika cut in, “are the 11 year old songbird cabins.” She gestured to the table opposite them, “That’s the Wrens and their leader Shelby. They’re kind of like our competition, I guess. But none of us really take it seriously.” 

“Speak for yourself.” Cameryn said, “You won’t catch me talking to any of them.” 

“But Adrienne was a Swallow with us last year.” Willow argued, pointing to the girl she had been talking with near the fountain. 

“Well, she’s a Wren this year.” Cameryn responded before taking a bite of her hotdog, “She’s the enemy.”


	4. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only about 1 and 1/2 more chapters at camp. Though I still might throw in a chapter about the grown ups.

Piper was settling into the camp nicely, or at least she was in her own opinion. She’d gotten to know all of the girls in her cabin-- Ava, Adrienne, Toni, and Sasha-- and had managed to find all of her classes without the help of anything, except her map. Meal times still made her nervous, because the dining hall was huge and the lines got pretty crowded, but after a couple of days she decided that it was manageable as long as she took her food and ate outside. As it turned out, Shelby’s shortcut had secured them that table for the whole summer, so she never had to fight to find a seat. 

“Are you going to help us win the cup?” Toni asked, settling down next to her and offering her an apple. Of all the girls in her cabin, Toni was probably Piper’s favorite. It wasn’t that she didn’t like the others, but Toni never crowded her or asked too many questions. 

“Maybe,” She answered after a moment as she rolled the apple between her palms. The Foundation Cup was new this year, the only thing in the entire camp that didn’t have to do with performing. Apparently, too many campers had shunned the idea of making friends and working as a team, so the board had decided to add the Cup as a team building exercise. Not everyone was required to participate, but the participants of the winning cabin would each be given scholarships for next summer. 

“I think it’ll be fun.” Toni said, “It’s all little kid stuff anyway, so it can’t be that hard, right?” 

“Unless you make a fool of yourself.” 

“Is that what you’re worried about?” Toni prompted, “The only people making fools of themselves are the girls tripping over themselves trying to get Cooper Anderson to notice them.” 

“Oh my god, yes!” Piper huffed out a laugh and shook her head, “It’s not like he is going to remember any of them after camp is over anyway. We’ll all go back home to whatever tiny towns we live in and that’ll be that.” 

“Adrianne was telling me that one of the Finches lives in Los Angeles and does commercials. I’ll bet it’s one that nearly passed out last night at dinner when he walked by her.” 

“Then why is she here?” Piper asked with a raised eyebrow, “Who leaves L.A. for Illinois?” Toni took a bite of her scrambled eggs and shrugged. 

“I mean, Blue Ivy did it.” She conceded. 

“Because she wanted to get away.” Piper argued, “She’s already famous.” 

“Ain’t that the truth.” Toni agreed. They finished their breakfast in silence before heading off to their first class of the day. That was probably another reason she preferred Toni over the other girls, because they shared most of the same classes, which meant she never had to face the Finches alone. 

It was silly, really, how invested some of the campers were when it came to rivalries. The Cup seemed to only make it worse, as they were fighting for more than just solos now, but those events hadn’t even started. Camryn, Mila, and Erika were in Piper’s first class of the day and the only one she could stand to be around was Erika. This was only intensified by the fact that the classes were small, never more than 10 or 12 kids in one session. When Toni and her arrived, almost everyone else had already claimed their seats leaving them with the remaining ones in the front with the Finches-- even the boys didn’t want to sit with them. 

“Oh, look what the cat finally dragged in.” Mila commented as she turned her body away from them. Camryn snickered and Erika rolled her eyes. Piper really did like Erika. The sound of the door snapping shut quieted the room and Tabitha stepped up to the piano at the front of the room. 

“Good morning, dears!” She greeted, “I know, I’m not quite who you were expecting, but unfortunately Mr. Grant has fallen ill.” 

“Oh no, is he okay?” Piper asked. Tabitha smiled and gave a slight nod. 

“Don’t you worry, a little rest and he will be in tiptop shape.” She answered, “But that does mean that we are in a bit of a pickle. However, no reason to fret, Miss Beth has offered to have you join her circle this morning.” Piper was the first to her feet, bouncing up onto her tiptoes as she waited to be officially dismissed. “I trust you all know how to get the courtyard from here, Miss Beth and her campers should be waiting for you there.” It was practically a race to the door from there. Toni and Piper hung back a bit, careful to not get trampled as everyone shoved their way out of the building. 

“I’m so glad we get to warm up with Beth this morning.” Toni said, “Does that make me a horrible person?” Piper laughed and shook her head. 

“Only if I’m one too.” She commented. Beth was one of Piper’s favorite people, hands down. Not even out of the camp or staff, just in general. The first few days of camp had been hard, she missed her dad and she was tired of everyone asking about her mother and she wasn’t ready to explain that she didn’t have one-- no, really, even her dad didn’t know who her mother was. It was apparently written all over her face that something was wrong, because she didn’t even get all the way through her tearful confession before Shelby had waved Beth over and told them to take a walk. Beth had held her when she cried and told her that Shelby wasn’t her biological mom and she didn’t have a dad, yeah she had a biological dad, but she didn’t have a dad in the same way that Piper didn’t have a mom. They talked until the sun had gone down and Beth had assured her that she could come to her any time she needed to talk. 

As she and Toni neared the courtyard, it took all of her willpower not to break into a run. She hadn’t realized how much she was missing home until she saw Beth sitting on the edge of the fountain. And, really, how many times could one person miss home in a week?  
____________________________________________________________________________

Sloane leaned against the side of the fountain, eyes closed and head tipped back, while she waited for that morning’s additions to show up. She understood that it wasn’t fair for people to have to miss an instruction because the instructor was ill, but she also shouldn’t be losing valuable time waiting for them. Her frustration faded, however, when Willow nudged her ribs and pointed at their fellow Finches that would be joining them. She didn’t really care for Camryn and Mila, but they were in her cabin and she was determined to win the scholarship for next Summer, so she put on a friendly face and waved them over. 

“Welcome, welcome!” Beth greeted, motioning for her campers to expand the circle to allow the newcomers. A couple of Wrens trickled in, situating themselves with the rest of their cabin, and Beth grinned. “I know this isn’t how everyone usually spends their mornings, but hopefully this will serve as a decent warm up for you guys who are supposed to be with Mr. Grant. Why don’t you get us started, Sloane?” Beth picked up her guitar and started to play. 

“ _We’re a thousand miles from comfort…_ ” Sloane sang. She sat a little straighter, but allowed herself to get lost in the music. Her dad used to sing her to sleep, when he still sang of course, which seemed like ages ago. Cooper had told her once that he lost his voice, it’d be taken from him when she was a baby, but he’d taken someone else’s voice in return. It made her laugh, then, thinking of her dad as Ariel… now it just made her sad. Kind of like her singing made him sad, he’d never said so, but she could see it in his face every time he heard her. It wasn’t long ago that she begged Cooper to explain it to her, because he had to know-- he knew everything, didn’t he? But he’d gotten mad and cut his visit short. 

“ _We set out on a mission, to find our inner peace…_ ” If she was being honest, that’s why she was here. She hated seeing her dad upset, but she loved to sing, she could feel it in her blood that it was what she was supposed to do. So, when Cooper brought it up during a Thursday night dinner, she knew this was the answer. The Foundation meant that she could spend a whole summer performing and never see the sad look on her dad’s face. 

“ _When I am with you, there’s no place I’d rather be._ ” She blinked owlishly as the song came to an end, suddenly aware of the stone against her back and the ground beneath her. The circle applauded and Beth patted her on the shoulder. “Thank you.” She gave a small bow, without standing up, before leaning back against the fountain again. 

“That was so good!” Willow whispered, nudging her gently. The other Finches seemed to agree, with the exception of Mila, who had a pinched look on her face. When Beth asked for a volunteer, it was her hand that shot up first. 

“Jolene,” She announced and then stood up. Sloane swallowed back the sigh that threatened to slip between her lips and tried to enjoy the performance. Mila was a wonderful vocalist, she wouldn’t deny that, but there was something about an 11 year old begging to keep her man that missed the mark. She caught sight of Cooper, who was leaving the dining hall, and he stopped to listen to the performance for a second, catching her eye and raising an eyebrow. She smiled and wrinkled her nose, shaking her head slightly from side to side. He wiggled his fingers at her in a little wave and she rolled her eyes, but inclined her head toward him. 

She knew it was hard for him, but she was so thankful that he had kept his distance for at least the first week of camp. Though, with the start of the Foundation Cup, she knew it wouldn’t last long, especially if she managed to accidentally break a nail. He was protective, one time he said it was because he was making up for something, but she didn’t know what-- he had been there for everything from scraped knees to her tonsils being removed last year. Most of the time she didn’t mind, she liked being Cooper Anderson’s niece, but she really just wanted to be Sloane this summer. It was a lot less pressure. 

“I love that song.” She commented, once Mila had taken a seat again. 

“Everyone does.” 

“Good job, Mila. Who’s next?” Beth asked. Most people shrunk away, which was almost funny considering that they had chosen to go to a performing arts camp. “Piper, wanna show off what you’ve been practicing?” 

“Um… yeah, I guess.” One of the Wrens, Piper, said softly. She cleared her throat and nodded at Beth, who began to play. 

“ _It's so easy to lose all the meaning of who you are…_ ” It was an unfamiliar song, but Sloane watched her catch Beth’s gaze and then lose herself in the music. She had a beautiful voice, though she didn’t seem to know it, judging by her hesitation at performing. Mila was leaning into Camryn, their voices a low rumble of background noise. 

“ _If you look through a microscope at this messed up world…_ ” The Wrens were glaring daggers at them now, one of them looking as if she might start throwing rocks at the two whispering Finches if they didn’t shut up. A laugh rang out and Camryn at least had the courtesy to look apologetic, but Piper faltered and the damage was done. Her cheeks turned pink and Mila leaned over to whisper something in Willow’s ear while gesturing to Piper. The angry looking Wren leaned forward, but another one put a hand on her shoulder to keep her in place. 

“Funny how it all goes around.” Piper’s voice was shaking and Beth was looking disapprovingly at Mila and Cameryn.

“Any more volunteers?” Beth asked, only waiting for a few seconds. “Why don’t you guys all pair off and do some warm ups, okay?” Sloane immediately claimed Willow, hoping to drag her away from the others. She watched Piper take off toward the other end of the courtyard, Beth running after her, her guitar still leaning against the fountain. 

“What is your problem?” The angry looking Wren burst out, pushing passed a group of boys that were in the process of dividing up. Her remaining cabin mates weren’t far behind her, but looked significantly less angry. Mila rolled her eyes and turned back to Camryn. 

“I realize your tonedeaf, but I didn’t think you were actually deaf.” the Wren snapped. The other girls looked caught between inching forward and going to get Beth. 

“Excuse me?” Mila turned back around. 

“What is your problem?”

“Oh, you’re cute.” Mile said, “You think that you and your untalented little friends actually phase me in some way.” 

“You catty little--” 

“Toni, no.” One of the girls hissed, while another rushed forward to grab her arm. “She isn’t worth getting kicked out.” Mila smiled and took a step closer, reached out to touch the girl’s long dark hair teasingly. 

“I’d listen to your friend, dearest.” She said softly. Sloane watched the interaction quietly, one hand still wrapped around Willow’s wrist. She could hear footsteps coming up behind them and watched as Toni and the other Wrens’ faces paled, which meant it was either Tabitha or… 

“Is there a problem here, ladies?” Cooper asked, one eyebrow raised. Crap. Toni straightened up and shook her head, ducking out of her friend’s grasp. While Mila whirled around to face him, working her mouth like a fish gasping for air. 

“N-not at all.” She assured him, flipping her hair over one shoulder. 

“That’s exactly what it looked like.” He said, sarcasm dripping from his voice. He looked at the group pointedly, but made sure to catch Sloane’s gaze. 

“Just a misunderstanding.” She answered, “Couldn’t figure out who to pair up with is all.” He didn’t look convinced, but Toni had left to go check on Piper and everyone else had to put on their best innocent faces. 

“Need help divvying up?” He offered and Sloane was positive that her fellow Finches might actually faint. “Speed things up a bit?” 

“Nope!” She cut in a little too quickly, “I think we’ve got it covered, Mr. Anderson. Thank you.” The other girls waited until he was out of sight before rounding on her. 

“Cooper Anderson just offered to help us and you told him no.” Erika gasped, “Why would you tell him no?” Even Willow and some of the Wrens were looking at her like she’d grown another head. Oh boy. 

“He was suspicious!” She defended, “I just didn’t want anyone getting into trouble.” 

“No one was going to get in trouble. He’s cute, but he’s dumb.” Cameryn argued, “Just open a magazine and you’ll see they all agree.” 

“Plus, it was all the Wrens’ fault.” Mila piped. 

“... Yeah, I guess you’re right.”  
____________________________________________________________________________

Piper wanted to hide in her bed for the rest of camp, but she only managed a couple of days playing sick before Beth and Toni had forced her back into the real world. The Foundation Cup events were starting and, now more than ever, the Wrens were determined to beat the Finches and earn the scholarships. 

“Okay, girls. We are kicking things off with the relay race.” Shelby announced, “It’s quick, it’s fun, and it helped me talk the other counselors out of doing a wheelbarrow race. I know that you want to win, believe me, so do I. But this is about working as a team, okay?” The girls all nodded. “Good, now go enjoy your Saturday and meet me back here at 5. Piper, can you hang back a second?” 

“We’ll wait for you at the lake.” Toni said, patting Piper on the arm before disappearing with the rest of the girls. Piper picked nervously at her nails as she waited for Shelby to speak. 

“How are you feeling?” 

“I’m okay.” She said softly. 

“Are you sure?” 

“Yep.” She assured her, “Just needed a lot of rest, but I’m better now. So, I can run in the race and go back to classes and everything.” Shelby nodded, watching her closely for a couple of seconds before wrapping her arm around Piper’s shoulders.

“Walk with me.” They’d wandered down past the cabins before she spoke again, “Beth said some of the other girls were giving you a hard time?” 

“Kind of, but it’s okay.” 

“I’ve heard you sing, Piper. You’re very talented.” Piper shrugged, “Don’t do that. You are good, don’t let them get in your head.” 

“You have to say that.” Shelby stopped and bent down, putting a hand on either of Piper’s shoulders and looking her in the eye. 

“I have to help you, but I don’t have to lie to you.” She said, “I used to coach a show choir, one of the best in the entire country. I know talent, sweetheart, and you have it. If I was being paid to say that, I would tell it to every kid here and I don’t.” 

“I guess.” 

“No, no guessing. Even Beth sees it.” Shelby whispered, “There are a lot of things that make you special and your voice is at the very top of that list.” 

“Okay.” 

“That’s a very small step in the right direction, but I’ll take it. Now go have fun with your friends at the lake.” She said before pressing a kiss to the top of Piper’s head and letting her go. With one small wave back, Piper disappeared down the path. 

The lake was on the side furthest from the cabins, which generally made it a peaceful place to get away, but it was a Saturday and it seemed that most of the cabins decided to go for a swim before the race. The Wrens were posted up at the end of the dock, a prime location that meant that they must have beaten everyone else there. Out of the corner of her eye, Piper caught sight of the Finches and frowned. They were spread out on the shore, each of them lounging on a towel and laughing obnoxiously at a joke one of the boys made. 

“Annoying, aren’t they?” A voice sounded behind her. 

“Wyatt, you scared the crap out of me.” She replied as she turned to face him. He gave her a crooked smile and shrugged. 

“Sorry!” 

“You’re right though, they are.” She agreed, “And mean too.” 

“That doesn’t surprise me.” Piper laughed as she heard Toni call her name. “I’ll let you go hang out with your friends, just thought I’d say hi.” 

“You can come, if you want.” She offered. 

Wyatt’s smile brightened even more, “Yeah, okay.” 

“So, it is everything you thought it’d be?” She asked as they made their way to the end of the dock, “Learning from Cooper Anderson.” It was his turn to laugh. 

“Not exactly, but it’s fun.” He said, “He has a lot of funny stories and some good tips, if the girls would ever let him talk. They spend most of the class asking him questions about his favorite color or if he’d ever date a fan.” 

“They do not!” 

“Oh, but they do!” He laughed again and shook his head. Piper cringed and rolled her eyes at thought. 

“Piper! What did Shelby want?” Ava asked. 

“Who’s your friend?” Sasha followed up. Piper took a seat on the splintery dock and slipped off her shoes, dipping her feet into the cool water. 

“She just wanted to follow up on the Finch Fiasco.” she answered with a shrug, “And this is Wyatt, he’s been telling me all about classes with the great Cooper Anderson.” That set the girls abuzz, each of them throwing out a million questions.  
____________________________________________________________________________

Sloane flopped down on her bed, shower wet hair leaving marks on her pillow as she ran her fingers across the wooden slats above her. Exhaustion swept over her and she wanted nothing more than to bury her face in her pillow and go to sleep. The rest of the Finches, on the other hand, didn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon. 

“What a joke.” Mila grumbled, slamming her dresser drawer shut. Willow made a soft noise of agreement as she continued braiding her hair for the night. 

“I came here to perform, not run a marathon.” Camryn said, “If it isn’t going to make my voice better, I’m not doing it.” 

Erika rolled her eyes, “You could’ve said that before the race. Some of us actually need the scholarship to keep coming here.” Mila laughed as she collected her shower supplies, not even bothering to look over at Erika. 

“Well then maybe you don’t belong here.” She replied. 

“Or maybe this whole stupid race was to help us start acting like a team,” Sloane cut in, “if we give that a try, they won’t need to force anymore activities on us.” 

“Sloane’s right.” Willow commented. 

“Of course she is.” Mila bit out, “I’m going to take a shower.” Camryn perched herself on the arm of one of the chairs, toying with a loose string on her night pants. 

“It wasn’t like we had any sort of chance against those mannish Wrens.” She muttered, “We were set up to fail.” 

“They lost too,” Erika argued. 

“But they still got a higher score than us.” Camryn shot back, “Whose side are you on, anyway? I didn’t see them sticking up for you when you dropped the stupid stick.” This time, Sloane really did cover her head with her pillow and roll away. She didn’t come to camp to make friends, but she definitely didn’t come to make enemies over something as dumb as a relay race. Or whatever else had Mila’s hackles up. Maybe, if she asked nicely, she could be moved out of the Finch cabin. Not that she really wanted to live with the Wrens either, she’d be better off seeing if she could spend the next two weeks with Cooper. That was her last thought before she drifted off to sleep. 

When she woke, it was still dark outside and the dim light on the clock radio read 3:09. Judging by the impressive range of snores, the other girls were sound asleep and she made a split second decision to leave the cabin. She knew how much trouble she’d get in, if she got caught, but maybe they’d send her off to the mysterious isolation cabin and she wouldn’t have to spend the rest of the summer with the Finches. Trying to make it to the lake seemed like she was pressing her lucky, but if she was going to risk getting in trouble, it might as well be worth it. So, she pulled her Dalton Academy sweatshirt tighter around her body, slipped on a pair of beat up Converse, and took off toward the lake as quietly as she could. 

The path was significantly more intimidating in the dark and she suddenly wished for a flashlight that she hadn’t thought to grab. Every breeze-rattled branch had her jumping out of her skin and walking just a little bit faster until she made it to the end, where the thin path opened up to the lake. She was just a few steps out of the cover of darkness when she realized she wasn’t alone, silently debating with herself if she should turn back and stumble her way through the darkness or not. Her decision seemed made for her, when the figure sitting on the shore made eye contact and she realized that it was that one of the Wrens… Piper.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sloane's song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_as_IxjD3Oo
> 
> Piper's song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBSVm9WBWz4


End file.
